Improvement in roller-skates



- 2 Sheets--Sheet1. W. P. GREGG.

Roller-Skates. N0.153,945, V Patented Aug.11,i874.

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"'RoHer' Skates.

Patented Aug. 11,1874

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WASHINGTON P. GREGG, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROLLER-SKATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,945, dated August11, 1874; application filed April 23, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WASHINGTON PARKER GREGG, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulIm provements in Roller- Skates; andI do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to the class of rollerskates the patent for whichwas granted to me July 25, 1865, and the reissue December 23, 1873. Itconsists, chiefly, in having four outside driving-wheels, and also innovel arrangements of the wheels and rollers, relatively to each other,and the stock orfootrest, the same being designed for varied exereisesfor recreation and health in halls and stock, one of two outside wheels,one of its two small side wheels, and the two small rollers partiallyunder the toe and heel. Fig. 4 is a top view of the same. Fig. 5 is aside view of Fig. 1 with axles above the stock. Fig. 6 is a top view ofthe same. Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. l'with axles below the stock.Fig. 8 is a top view of the same. Fig. 9 is a top view of Figs. 3 and 4with the two small side wheelsoutside of the stock upon their axleprolonged.-

To carry my invention into effect, I, instead of having several smallrollers under the stock, like those in common use, and to avail myself,when desirable, of more than the two outside wheels, as used under mypatent of July 25, 1865, reissued December 23, 1873, attach to the stockor foot-rest A, in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, two comparativelylarge outside wheels, B B, one at each side of the front a of the heelI) of the stock A, the more easily to sustain each side of the footbetween the heel I) and the ball 0 of the stock, as well as the moreeasily to surmount obstacles, and for driving and turning; and I alsoattach two othercomparatively large outside-wheels, G G, in Figs. 1 and2, one at each side of the ball 0 of the stock, the more easily tosustain each side of that part of the foot, and to surmount obstacles,and for driving and turning; and, in combination with these four outsidewheels B B O O, I also attach two smaller rollers, D D, one partly underthe toe and the other partly under the heel of the stock, for thesupport of the heel and toe, and for more readily turning at the heeland toe. I vary the size of the diameter and position of the wheels ofsome of these skates for indoor use, and in order to vary in exercisingat the heel and toe, and in practicing different feats and evolutions,and arrange them so that instead of having two driving-wheels G O, as inFigs. 1 and 2, ateach side of the ball, I have two smaller wheels, e e,as in Figs. 3 and Lone under each side of the ball 0, and-"so use themwith thetwo large driving-wheels B B, one at each side of the front a ofthe' heel b of the stock, in combination with two smaller rollers, D D,partly under the toe and heel of the stock, as s en in Figs. 3 andet.The stock or foot-rest, with its wheels and rollers thus arranged, maybe reversed, so that the skater may use the same either way. Thetwosmall side wheels may be applied as readily to the stock having thefour larger driving-wheels at its sides as to the stock with only thetwo larger driving-wheels at its sides. Therefore some of these skatesare made that way as well as the other. All that is required is toremove the two front outside driving-wheels in Figs. 1 and 2, with theiraxle, and then fasten under the ball, by screws or otherwise, theaxle-holder, with its axle and two small side wheels, as seen in Figs. 3and 4. So, when it is desirable to have the two small side wheelsoutside of instead of under the ball of the stock,I withdraw their axleand substitute for it a longer one, put upon its ends the same two smallwheels, and they are then outside of the stock, as seen in Fig. 9. Theaxles ofthe four outside wheels may project from the edges or sides ofthe stock, as at ffffff in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. They may be above thestock, as at g g g g in Figs. 5 and 6, or below the stock, as at h h h hh h in Figs.

7 and 8. They may be lower down, like the axles i i i of the smallwheels under each side of the ball in Figs. 3 and 4, as well as higherthan the top of the stock. Thus may be provided high orlow journals forthe largest and smallest four side wheels practicable, with the upperparts of their peripheries above, below, or on a level with the plane ofthe upper surface of the stock, as preferred. The outside wheels of someof these skates are made alike in diameter. In general, I prefer thatthe two rear outside wheels should differ in size from the two at theball, for easier turning. I also prefer the largest'wheels for outdooruse. The small rollers D D revolve on axles in common axle-holders underthe toe and heel. I prefer that none of them should come down so low asthe side wheels. I also prefer, especially for novices and the young,that the small rollers partially under the toe and heel should be usedas set forth. I

One or both can be dispensed with by experts 0r practiced athletes, andsometimes by others upon suitable level surfaces, when said other wheelsmay be driven with great rapidity and effect.

In turning at the toe, and in inclining forward, the bearing is designedto be more or less on the small roller under the toe and the two wheelsat the side of the ball. In turning at the heel, and in moving backward,the bearing is designed to he more or less on the smallroller under theheel, and on the two wheels at the sides of the front of the heel. Ingliding, the bearing is designed to be mainly on the two wheels at theball and the two at the front of the heel, upon which the skater maystand upright, and move alike with firmness and speed, owing to therelative position of these four wheels, as well as to their size andnumber, the small rollers under the heel and toe affording additionalsupport when required.

When the heel and toe are supported by small rollers, as I prefer theyshould be, one of the side wheels can be dispensed with but I prefer itshould not be.

WVhen desirable, particularly for the smaller skates, I sometimes use acaster for one or each of the heel and toe rollers, as shown at D, Fig.3.

The stocks or foot-rests, wheels, journals, and other parts may be ofany suitable materials, size, or description, and be fitted to the footand fastened on in any convenient manner.

Thus is produced a wheel-skate, not only supported at the toe and heel,but at each side from heel to toe for novices, and at the same timecalculated for diversified exercises, feats,

and evolutions by diiferent skaters.

Having described my invention, I'claim as follows:

1. A skate stock or foot-rest having four outside driving-wheelsattached directly to it, one at each side of the front of the heel, andone at each side of the ball of the stock, substantially as described.

2. A stock or foot-rest with four out-side driving-wheels, one at eachside of the front of the heel, and one at each side of the ball of thestock, in combination with one smaller roller under the heel and anotherunder the toe, substantially as described.

3. A stock or foot-rest with one small wheel under each side of theball, and one larger outside driving-wheel attached at each side of thefront of the heel of the stock, substantially as described.

4. A stock or foot-rest with one small wheel under each side of theball, and one larger outside driving-wheel attached at each side of thefront of the heel of the stock, in combination with one small rollerunder the heel and another under the toe, substantially as described.

5. In a skate stock or foot-rest having four outside wheels, one at eachside of the rear .part, and one at each side of the front part,

lowersurface of the stock.

6. In a skate stock or foot rest having one small wheel under each sideof the front part, and one larger outside wheel at each side of the rearpart, of the stock, whether in combination or not with a smaller rollerpartially under the heel and toe, the arrangement of said outsidewheels, so that the upper portion of their peripheries shall extendabove the plane of the lower surface of the stock.

7. In each of the several specified combinations covered by theforegoing claims, in which a small roller or caster is employedpartially under the heel and toe, the attachment of the outside wheelsto the stock in such position that their tread shall be on a plane lowerthan that of said small rollers or casters.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this16th day of April, 1874.

WASHINGTON PARKER GREGG.

Witnesses:

F. P. HALE, GEO. B. BLoDGn'rrE.

